Mississippi Senate Candidate Says Black People Should Stop 'Begging for Federal Government Scraps'

Share

Mississippi Republican Senate candidate Chris McDaniel let his racism show in a live broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” McDaniel perpetuated the stereotype that Blacks depend most on the federal government.

He participated in a panel discussion at the University of Mississippi in Oxford on Friday for a segment of the show. Eddie S. Glaude Jr., chairman of the African-American Studies Department at Princeton University, was also a panelist and questioned the candidate’s commitment to the Black community.

Glaude said McDaniel has supported the Confederate emblem on the state flag, has said hip-hop music contributes to gun violence, and has publicly praised Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

He asked McDaniel, about seven minutes into the segment, “How do you convince Black folks in this state that you’re not a danger to them”

McDaniel went on to say his viewpoints on hip-hop and violence originated from a “study from Berkeley,” he said. “Berkeley is not exactly a conservative institution.”

He said that the majority of Mississippians voted to keep the state flag, and flags “are subject to different interpretations.”

Mississippi continues to have the Confederate battle flag as part of its flag.

Glaude again asked McDaniel what he would say to Black residents, which comprise 38 percent of the state, to get their support.

He responded: “I’m going to ask them, after 100 years of relying on big government to save you, where are you today

“After 100 years of begging for federal government scraps, where are you today”

The audience began to loudly boo in response to his remarks.

McDaniel then tried to clean up what he said.

“I mean the state of Mississippi,” he commented. “I’m talking about the state of Mississippi. We’ve been dead last for 100 years. And what happens is, if we keep dependent on that economic model, we’re always going to stay last.”

In regard to McDaniel’s statement about Black people relying on the government, research has found that white people are the biggest beneficiaries of the government safety net. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, white people made up the largest share — at 52 percent — of people lifted from poverty by safety-net programs, while Black people made up less than a quarter of that share.

McDaniel is running for Senate in the state’s special election on Nov. 6 against appointed Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, former U.S. Rep. Mike Espy and military veteran Democrat Tobey Bartee.